Music enchants both humans and animals

By Anil Parajuli,Hetauda, July 16: Music captivates everyone, be it humans or animals. Research has shown that both animals and humans are equally fascinated by music. This is evident while visiting the Goat Development Farm in Chitlang, Makwanpur.

Melodious tunes resonated from the radio, while cows grazed peacefully in the field. Once the music started playing on the radio, the cow's udders were melted. In the morning, the farm boy was milking the cow playing melodious hymns on the radio.

The manager of the Goat Development Farm in Chitlang, Bishweshwar Prasad Yadav, mentioned that along with goats, they also raise sheep, rabbits, and cows. 

As soon as a cow gives birth, they train it to produce milk by playing music instead of letting the calf suckle. 

“When the cows hear the tune, they are ready to give milk. Cows give milk without suckling the milk to their calves, once they hear music playing on the radio, said manager Yadav.

He explained that the milking process takes about seven to ten minutes and that they have trained the cows to get used to milking with music from the beginning. He mentioned that because calves can cause injuries and infections to the udders, they have adopted the practice of milking by playing various tunes on the radio.

“We milk the cows between 6 and 7 in the morning when religious hymns are played on the radio. In the afternoon, from 3:30 to 4:30, we play pleasant tunes,” Yadav added. 

Yadav believes when cows are stress-free, they produce more milk. Sudip Kshetri, a musician from Hetauda, said that music can enchant everyone, from humans to insects. He cited the ancient story of Lord Krishna, who used to play the flute and cows used to gather around to listen. “Music can captivate everyone, be it human or animal. It makes cows happy, which in turn makes them give more milk,” he said.

Bhanubhakta Acharya, the principal of Pashupati Secondary School in Handikhola, Makwanpur, shared that chickens consume more grains when the radio is playing. 

Senior veterinarian Bajra Kishore Thakur from the Animal Service Office, Hetauda, Makwanpur, said that music naturally touches the heart and pleases both humans and animals.

“Music reduces stress, and when the production of stress hormones decreases, stress-free cows give more milk,” said senior veterinarian Thakur. 

A study published in the Journal of Endocrinology highlighted that the nutritional content of cow’s milk depends on the happiness of the cow. The happier the cow, the more nutritious the milk gets. The study showed that milk from happier cows has a higher calcium content.

A study by the University of Pretoria in South Africa, conducted on March 15, 2023, indicated that music relaxes cows and increases milk production. It mentioned that classical music reduces stress levels in cows, leading to higher milk production.

Since June 29, 2023, the Goat Development Farm in Chitlang has been raising ten Jersey cows, which has now multiplied to seventeen including calves. Out of the ten, eight cows produce more than 100 liters of milk, and two cows are about halfway through gestation. 

The calves are fed milk according to their body weight. Three employees handle the tasks of cutting grass, chopping straw, cleaning and milking the cows. The milk produced here is sold in the local market, eliminating the need to buy milk from Kathmandu.